When Columbus started on his journey to what later was called America he did not know where he was going. When he landed on that continent he did not know where he was and when he get back in Spain he did not know where he had been.
Sometimes this is applied to a preacher whose sermon is so knotty that nobody understood what he really was preaching at all. As preachers we have to consider that our preaching may not be a voyage of discovery. When we stand up to say something we must have a fixed goal for our eyes and that must be the edifying of the listeners and for ourselves that part of Scripture must have spoken to our own hearts. We must have control over the subject and not only with our heads, but with our hearts.
When we are preaching we must know where we are and we must not put one thought after another without a clear connection. And after speaking we must know what we really have presented. Perhaps it is a good idea to ask a brother to tell us what he thought of ourpreaching.
This is not to receive compliments but to edify, criticism of points that could have been better brought out and explained. “Seek that you may excel to the edifying of the church” (1 Cor. 14:12).