Welcome to Day 2301 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Characters of Christmas-6 The First to Know - Shepherds \u2013 Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message \u2013 12/03/2023 The Characters of Christmas \u2013 The First to Know: Shepherds Last week, we focused on dealing with dilemmas as we saw how Paul found himself \u201cBetween a rock and a hard place.\u201d \xa0 Today is the first message of Advent as we continue from last year and investigate some of the Characters of Christmas.\xa0 The First to Know: Shepherds. \xa0 Let\u2019s read Luke 2:1-21, on page 1590, in your Pew Bibles. The Birth of Jesus 2\xa0In those days Caesar Augustus\xa0issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.\xa02\xa0(This was the first census that took place while[a]\xa0Quirinius was governor of Syria.)\xa03\xa0And everyone went to their own town to register. 4\xa0So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem\xa0the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.\xa05\xa0He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him\xa0and was expecting a child.\xa06\xa0While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,\xa07\xa0and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. 8\xa0And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.\xa09\xa0An angel\xa0of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.\xa010\xa0But the angel said to them, \u201cDo not be afraid.\xa0I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.\xa011\xa0Today in the town of David a Savior\xa0has been born to you; he is the Messiah,\xa0the Lord.\xa012\xa0This will be a sign\xa0to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.\u201d 13\xa0Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14\xa0\u201cGlory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace\xa0to those on whom his favor rests.\u201d 15\xa0When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, \u201cLet\u2019s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.\u201d 16\xa0So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.\xa017\xa0When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,\xa018\xa0and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.\xa019\xa0But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.\xa020\xa0The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God\xa0for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had...