The simple answer is that it saves us reinventing the wheel for each sermon or scripture study we face. Because of this, we can always begin our sermon preparation or study where we left off, and the result is a quality of writing that will remind us of our seminary days. I can no longer imagine not having this tool available. Its that important. Let me try in non-computer language to quickly sum up all of what is referred to above.
SR is essentially an electronic scripture-oriented card catalogue.
If you can tie an idea, illustration or reference to a scripture text, you can use SR to always bring back that resource the next time you need it. After awhile, a search of a biblical text with SR will result in a long list of sermons, illustrations and reference that will be the jumping off place for your next sermon, article, or lecture. Experience was telling me that I was losing more references than I could find, especially the ones I paid for and didn't use each week among my exegetical journal choices. Its the one resource in my office that's organized, and can tell me where to look for that reference and idea I need. SR indexes all the biblical books inclusive of Jewish, Protestant and Roman Catholic scriptures including the apocrypha.