A Few of My Favorite Things

I was talking to my pastor the other day about what books he was using in preparation for his sermon series going through the book of Acts. It got me thinking about go-to resources. There are several resources that are the first ones I reference when I have a question or need further insight on the Scriptures. So, I decided to share with you some of my go-to resources, and I hope you will do the same and share your go-to resources in the comment section.
Calvin’s Commentaries
You don’t have to be a Calvinist to appreciate Calvin’s handling of the Scriptures. Arminius himself recognized Calvin’s skill when he said, “…he (Calvin) excels beyond comparison in the interpretation of Scripture…”. I find that Calvin’s Commentaries are approachable, easy to understand, thorough, and applicable. I always appreciate hearing what he has to say.
Most anything by John Piper
Ever since being introduced to John Piper’s ministry, I’ve truly appreciated his insights into the application of Scripture to life. While I like referring to Piper in my studies, there is one title that truly changed my life in a tangible way and I include it among the most influential books in my life. The Supremacy of God in Preaching, fundamentally changed how I approached the ministry of preaching. Even though years have passed since I last picked it up, I often meditate on this quote from page 24:

“The true usefulness of our preaching will not be known to us until all the fruit on all the branches on all the trees that have sprung up from all the seeds we’ve ever sown has fully ripened in the sunshine of eternity”

NICOT/NICNT
I was first introduced to this series when the church I attended in Richmond, VA, was going through 1 Corinthians and the pastors, among other resources, were reading together through Fee’s commentary. I later encountered the NICNT when I was taking a course on the book of Hebrews, taught by Simon Kistemaker. He assigned FF Bruce’s commentary from the collection. Since adding the series to Logos I’ve enjoyed having access to the entire collection. It is scholarly, without being overwhelming, and provides commentary on every verse… something Calvin doesn’t always give me.
Horae Homileticae
Prior to working at Logos, I had never even heard of Charles Simeon. Boy was I missing out! If Simeon was alive today, I’d certainly subscribe to his podcast. I thoroughly enjoy both the content and format of Homileticae, and find that I go to Simeon when I want a more bird’s eye view of a passage.
Your turn
Sure, there are other titles that I love and use often… but the above four are probably the ones I go-to most often. So, what about you? What are your go-to resources? Leave them in the comment section below (and provide a link to them on Logos.com so people can find them and have a look!).