Shepherd the Foothills | Chip Stallings | October 4, 2026

Oct 04, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Shepherding with a Hook and a Staff: Serving the Lord Perseveringly

When Paul served the Ephesians, his eyes stayed fixed beyond their needs to the Lord’s worthiness. Like a shepherd’s staff guiding sheep through rocky terrain, perseverance in serving others flows not from their gratitude but from Christ’s surpassing value. Trials and tears marked Paul’s ministry, yet he endured because his labor was ultimately for the One who never abandons. True shepherding begins when we anchor our efforts in worship, not outcomes. What sustains us isn’t visible progress but the invisible certainty that Jesus deserves our all. [42:46]

“I served the Lord with all humility, with tears, and during the trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews.”
(Acts 20:19, CSB)

Reflection: When have you felt tempted to quit serving others? How might fixing your eyes on Christ’s worthiness, not their response, renew your perseverance?

Day 2: Teaching the Whole Plan: Guiding Toward God’s Design

A shepherd’s crook doesn’t force sheep onto arbitrary paths but redirects them toward life-giving pastures. Paul taught the Ephesians “the whole plan of God” – not just comfortable truths but repentance, faith, and costly grace. To shepherd well means embracing both the hook of conviction and the staff of mercy, knowing God’s Word alone reveals the path to flourishing. Avoiding hard truths starves souls; teaching completely, like Christ’s balance of grace and truth, nourishes lasting growth. [46:31]

“I did not hesitate to proclaim anything to you that was profitable…testifying to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus.”
(Acts 20:20-21, CSB)

Reflection: Is there an area of God’s Word you avoid sharing? How could you gently guide someone toward both His kindness and His commands this week?

Day 3: Led by the Spirit into Sacrificial Wilderness

The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness and Paul toward chains – not away from pain but into purposeful surrender. A shepherd’s call often leads to valleys where our comfort dies so Christ’s glory lives. Like Paul, we follow not because the path is safe but because the Shepherd is sovereign. True safety lies in obedience, not control. When the Spirit’s guidance feels costly, we remember: the wilderness where we empty ourselves becomes the altar where God fills others. [58:34]

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.”
(Matthew 4:1, CSB)

Reflection: Where is God asking you to trust His leadership more than your comfort? How might your surrender become someone else’s provision?

Day 4: Guarding the Flock with Tears and a Sharpened Staff

Shepherds nightly sharpened their staffs, ready to defend sheep from wolves. Paul warned the Ephesian elders to guard Christ’s blood-bought flock – both from external threats and internal distortions. Vigilance requires courage to confront error and tenderness to weep over waywardness. A church’s health depends not on perfect strategies but on leaders who stay alert, love deeply, and keep pointing to the true Shepherd. Protection begins when we value Christ’s church as He does: worth dying for. [16:16]

“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock…savage wolves will come in among you…men will rise up from your own number with deviant doctrines.”
(Acts 20:28-29, CSB)

Reflection: Who has God placed in your care to spiritually protect? How can you intercede for them today with both urgency and compassion?

Day 5: Accompanying to the Ship: Mission Beyond Goodbye

The Ephesian elders walked Paul to his ship, tears mingling with resolve. Their grief proved the depth of their shared mission. Like a shepherd releasing a sheep to new pastures, they embraced the cost of sending because the flock’s growth mattered more than their comfort. True shepherding invests deeply while holding loosely, knowing our ultimate allegiance isn’t to relationships but to the Redeemer who authors them. Every goodbye in God’s economy becomes a seed for someone else’s “hello” to Christ. [28:38]

“They accompanied him to the ship…grieving most of all over his statement that they would never see his face again.”
(Acts 20:36-38, CSB)

Reflection: Is there a relationship you’re clinging to that God might be asking you to release for His greater work? How can you love courageously while trusting His timing?

Sermon Summary

Paul calls the Ephesian elders to remember how he lived among them and to shepherd God’s people the same way. The image of a hike sets the tone: pointing somebody toward a trail is information, but saying, “Follow me,” is guidance. Disciple making means walking the trail with somebody else. Jesus looks at people with compassion because they are sheep without a shepherd, and the church is called to love people where they are without leaving them where they are.

Paul serves the Lord with humility, tears, and trials. The people of Ephesus benefit because Paul’s true north is not their approval but the Lord’s glory. Service gets shaky when people become the aim, because people can cause tears, trials, and frustration. Service holds steady when the Lord remains the aim and suffering is counted worthy because Jesus is worthy.

Paul teaches the Word completely, including repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus. The Word of God does not need to be brought current, because people need to be brought current into the rhythms of Scripture. Jesus stays above every political party, every personal preference, and every imperfect human plan. Grace and truth stay together in Christ, not fifty-fifty, but one hundred percent grace and one hundred percent truth.

The Spirit compels Paul toward Jerusalem while also warning him that chains and afflictions are waiting there. God does not promise an absence of pain, loss, or sacrifice, but God promises to be greater than all of it. Paul counts his life as no value to himself compared with finishing the course and testifying to the gospel of God’s grace. The safest place is not the place a person can control, but the center of God’s will.

Paul warns the elders to guard themselves and the flock because Jesus purchased the church with His own blood. Wolves come from outside, and distorted truth can rise up from inside. Shepherds must stay alert, lay down their lives for the flock, and refuse to use the church for personal gain. The church becomes a force for good when relationships are stewarded so that people are better off because of the influence of God’s people.

Paul’s farewell with the Ephesian elders shows that the mission is personal. Their tears do not stop Paul from leaving or stop the elders from returning to Ephesus. Their love for one another makes the mission costly, but never optional. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, has purchased His people with His blood and calls them to shepherd the foothills well.

Key Takeaways

1. Follow people, not just directions Disciple making requires more than pointing somebody toward a Bible, a class, or a worship service. The call is to walk with people through questions, failure, growth, and obedience. A shepherd does not merely identify the trail but says, “Follow me,” while following Jesus. [36:34]
2. Serve the Lord through people Paul’s endurance comes from serving the Lord rather than chasing the response of people. Tears and trials can make service feel pointless when people are the ultimate aim. The Lord remains worthy even when the people being loved are difficult, distant, or ungrateful. [44:52]
3. Grace and truth stay together Jesus never forces a choice between being gracious and being truthful. Grace without truth leaves people stuck, while truth without grace can crush people who need restoration. The shepherd’s staff must guide people toward God’s design, not toward somebody else’s preferred plan. [55:40]
4. The Spirit leads through sacrifice The Spirit’s leading does not always move people away from hardship. Paul is compelled toward Jerusalem even as chains and afflictions await him there. God’s glory often shows up through broken hearts and fragmented clay pots that keep trusting Him. [64:13]
5. The church belongs to Jesus Jesus purchased the flock with His own blood, so no leader owns the church or gets to use it for personal gain. Shepherds guard the flock by watching their own hearts, resisting distorted truth, and laying down their lives for the people Christ loves. The value of every believer rests in the price Jesus paid.

## [77:50]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[33:35] - Acts 20 and Shepherding the Foothills
[35:30] - Guidance Means Walking the Trail Together
[37:27] - Jesus’ Compassion for Sheep Without a Shepherd
[41:41] - Serving the Lord Perseveringly
[45:55] - Teaching the Word Completely
[53:19] - Guiding People Toward God’s Plan
[57:04] - Following the Spirit Sacrificially
[64:48] - Finishing the Course Over Controlling Life
[69:31] - Sacrifice and Church Planting
[74:52] - Guarding the Flock Alertly
[83:22] - Stewarding the Church by Giving
[87:32] - Sharing the Mission Personally
[95:04] - Responding to the Good Shepherd

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Acts 20:17-38
“Now from Miletus, he sent to Ephesus and summoned the elders of the church. And when they came to him, he said to them: 'You know, from the first day I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time, serving the Lord with all humility, with tears, and during the trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews. You know that I did not hesitate to proclaim to you anything that was profitable or to teach you publicly and from house to house. I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus. And now I am on my way to Jerusalem, compelled by the Spirit, not knowing what I will encounter there, except that in every town the Holy Spirit warns me that chains and afflictions are waiting for me. But I consider my life of no value to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of God’s grace. And now I know that none of you, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will ever see me again. Therefore I declare to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you, because I did not avoid declaring to you the whole plan of God. Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Men will rise up even from your own number and distort the truth to lure the disciples into following them. So be on the alert, remembering that night and day for three years I never stopped warning each one of you with tears. And now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all who are sanctified. I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that I worked with my own hands to support myself and those who are with me. In every way I have shown you that it is necessary to help the weak by laboring like this and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, because he said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." After he said this, he knelt down and prayed with all of them. There were many tears shed by everyone. They embraced Paul and kissed him, grieving most of all over his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.” [33:39]

John 1:14
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” [55:40]

Matthew 9:36
“When he saw the crowds, he felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd.” [38:19]

Observation questions

In Acts 20, what parts of Paul’s life and ministry does he ask the Ephesian elders to remember—especially his attitude, hardships, and teaching?
What two main parts of the gospel message does Paul say he proclaimed to both Jews and Greeks? [46:09]
In Acts 20:22–24, what does Paul know about his future journey, and what does he say matters more to him than protecting his own life? [57:04]
What dangers does Paul say can threaten the church from outside and from within, and what are the elders told to guard first? [01:20:25]

Interpretation questions

Paul served the Lord while serving people, rather than making people’s approval his main goal. How would this focus help a believer keep loving and serving when people are difficult, ungrateful, or resistant? [45:27]
Paul taught the whole plan of God, including repentance and faith in Jesus. Why would leaving out difficult parts of God’s Word keep people from growing into healthy disciples?
Jesus is full of grace and truth. What can happen when someone offers grace without truth, or truth without grace, to a person who needs spiritual guidance? [55:40]
The Spirit compelled Paul toward Jerusalem while warning him about suffering there. What does this show about the difference between God’s presence in hardship and the idea that God always leads people away from hardship? [01:03:05]

Application questions

Who is one person God may be calling you to walk alongside rather than simply point toward a church service, class, or Bible? What could it look like to take one intentional step with that person this week? [36:45]
When serving people has brought tears, frustration, or disappointment, where have you been tempted to make people’s response the measure of whether your service is worthwhile? How might serving the Lord reshape that situation? [44:49]
Think about a relationship where you are trying to help someone grow. Are you more likely to avoid hard truth or to speak truth without enough patience and compassion? What would “100% grace and 100% truth” look like in one upcoming conversation? [56:09]
Is there an area of life where you are seeking control because it feels safer than trusting God—such as a family decision, finances, health, work, or future plans? What would it mean to seek the center of God’s will rather than simply the place you can control? [01:06:03]
Every believer has been purchased by Jesus’ blood and belongs to Him. How does that truth shape the way you speak about, care for, and respond to other people in the church—especially those who are different from you? [01:17:45]
Would the people in your home, workplace, neighborhood, or regular routines say they are better off because of your influence? What is one practical way you can steward a relationship by giving, encouraging, helping, or pointing someone toward Jesus this week? [01:25:45]

Sermon Clips

42s

#GraceInSuffering

“God has never promised an absence of pain, an absence of of loss, absence of death. He's promised to be greater than all of it. That his strength could actually be perfected in the presence of our weakness. And so he's not leading us into difficult times just because he gets kicked out of it, because somehow, like, we deserve it. He's already given us his son, Jesus, which we do not deserve. And so he's not gonna... He's giving us grace upon grace upon grace. He's not just giving this to you in front of punishment. He's giving it to you quite possibly so that his glory could be seen through you.”

34s

#RighteousnessByFaith

“But God never once has lowered his standards. What he's done is send us in Jesus to be able to pay the price for us so that our unrighteousness is taken by him and he then in turn gives us his righteousness, which elevates our godliness. Not because we somehow have become necessarily more godly in our own merit, but we become godly because of what Jesus has done in my life. If you see anything that's, like, notable in my life, I just wanna be really clear with you. It's not because I'm a good dude.”

48s

#ServeTheLord

“See, our motive for loving the foothills must be focused on serving the Lord. Otherwise, we will get frustrated with the sheep that we are trying to shepherd. Our heart has to be passed and through the people to the Lord. Our heart for service must be to serve the Lord. The tears and trials can lead us towards quitting when our aim is at the people that are causing the tears and the trials. But when our aim is towards serving the Lord, we'll find that our service is always worthy, worth it, and that Lord is always worthy of our our suffering.”

29s

#TrustGodsPlan

“So that we're shepherding people forward, not because we have it all together, but because we're still walking with a limp. Because we have our own questions, not around the goodness of God, but how... God, I know what you're doing, but I don't know what you're doing. I trust you. I just don't understand what I'm seeing. It doesn't stop us from continuing to shepherd people forward because we don't have to have all the answers when we have the one who does have the answers.”

32s

#GuardYourHeart

“The first warning that Paul gives to the pastors to be on guard was not against the wolves though, is actually for themselves. He says, be on guard for yourself. You see, a shepherd that stops being on guard towards his own sin is a danger to the flock. He becomes a selfish shepherd, not one who lays his life down for the flock, but that the flock exists for him, and that's a danger zone.”

39s

#LiveWithPurpose

“Again, life is not about its duration, Although, I hope you have many years, that can be a tremendous blessing. But the goal of life is not in its duration, it's in its significance, in finishing the course that God has for you. For some of you, that's gonna be to live over a hundred years of life. Some of you that might be to live a much shorter life. But we can live day to day to day within God's purpose for our life, trusting the spirit's leadership into our day to day decision making and choices. And in doing so, enables us to go wherever it is that God calls us to go.”

47s

#GospelIdentity

“If you're wondering if you have value, look right here. If you wonder the way in which life has ripped off pieces of you, do you still have value? Look right here. You look at, wonder, because the internal battles that you deal with and the kind of impact that, you know, maybe medical things have had on your life or age has had on your life, you may still think, do I have value? Look right here. Look to the gospel because Jesus has purchased you with his blood.”

32s

#GraceAndTruth

“We talk often how in John chapter one, the apostle John describes Jesus as being full of what? Grace and truth. What that means is is that he used 100% grace and 100% truth. He wasn't fifty fifty. Never in a moment in our lives when we're shepherding people forward, should we have to think, okay, should I be graceful here or should I be truthful here? We don't need to pick with which card we play. That's one card. We should communicate the truth in a way that is always graceful,”

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