The Patriot's Trumpet

Come celebrate the birth of the savior of the world.

It is so simple. It only takes minutes. It can change your day; it can change your life. Do it with the lyrics from Angels We Have heard On High. Here are the wonderful words to meditate on—rejoice!

Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing o’er the plains. And the mountains in reply, echoing their joyous strains, Gloria, in excelsis Deo! Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong? What the gladsome tidings be, which inspire your heavenly song? Gloria, in excelsis Deo! Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Come to Bethlehem and see Him Whose birth the angels sing; Come, adore on bended knee, Christ the Lord, the newborn King. Gloria, in excelsis Deo! Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

See Him in a manger laid, Jesus Lord of heaven and earth; Mary, Joseph, lend your aid, with us sing our Savior’s birth. Gloria, in excelsis Deo! Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

You can be inspired by Chip Davis and the always fresh Manheim Steamroller or Worship deeply with Robert Shaw and the sound of his traditional choir or you can just do both. First Chip Davis and the Manheim Steamroller:

Then the Robert Shaw Chamber Singers:

Celebrating Christmas eve, December 24, 2012 with all reverence!

Silent night, holy night; All is calm, all is bright; Round yon virgin, mother and Child; Holy Infant, so tender and mild; Sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night, Shepherds quake at the sight; Glories stream from heaven afar, Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia! Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born!

Silent night, holy night, Son of God, love’s pure light; Radiant beams from Thy holy face, With the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.

Silent night, holy night, wondrous star, lend thy light; with the angels let us sing, Alleluia to our King; Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born!

This will be only the first and third Stanzas but it is all Andy Williams needed to bring a sense of gratitude and worship to every ear that hears; listen and worship:

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

Matthew 1:18-24

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was in this way: When His mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.  And Joseph her husband, being a just man and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.”

Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, “Behold, a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel” (which being interpreted is, “God with us”).

Then Joseph, being raised from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife, and he knew her not until she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called his name JESUS.

We know from His teaching Jesus came to save us all. It is, however, clear reading Matthew, “He shall save His people from their sins” means Israel and His (Jewish) people. Pray with me for the day his gift of salvation is received by all of His people. And with hearts filled for Israel, Let us sing:

O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel, That mourns in lonely exile here, Until the Son of God appear, Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel, Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free, Thine own from Satan’s tyranny, From depths of Hell Thy people save, And give them victory o’er the grave, Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel, Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer, Our spirits by Thine advent here, Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, And death’s dark shadows put to flight. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel, Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come, And open wide our heavenly home; Make safe the way that leads on high, And close the path to misery. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel, Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might, Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai’s height, In ancient times did’st give the Law, In cloud, and majesty and awe. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel, Shall come to thee, O Israel. 

Please worship the Son who saved and the Father who sent Him as you listen to and sing with Sugarland (Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush) as they capture the precise sense of the lyrics:

(Yes, it is a busy season but please check back Wednesday, December 26^th for a particularly moving and satisfying Christmas experience.)

The Carol of the Bells comes from pagan Ukraine. It was a spring song of life reborn. It has a captivating four note sequence. When Christianity came to Ukraine, the people changed the focus to the Christmas story and the season to January (the Ukrainian Advent and Christmas tide). The last lines seem to invite Americans to all come together on this one thing—Christmas:

Gaily they ring, while people sing
Songs of good cheer, Christmas is here!
Merry, merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas!
Merry, merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas!

On, on they send, on without end
Their joyful tone to every home.

Our new friends, Celtic Woman, capture the enchantment perfectly. Watch and listen”

(Yes, it is a busy season but please check back Wednesday, December 26^th for a particularly moving and satisfying Christmas experience.) 

Noel (or Nowell) means Christmas. This old English Carol, The First Noel, is fitting this December 21, 2012—“cold winters night”—here in Minnesota (13 degrees and dropping as I write).

Here are the lyrics:

The first Noel the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
In fields as they lay, keeping their sheep,
On a cold winter’s night that was so deep.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Born is the King of Israel.

They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the east beyond them far,
And to the earth it gave great light,
And so it continued both day and night.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Born is the King of Israel.

And by the light of that same star
Three wise men came from country far;
To seek for a king was their intent,
And to follow the star wherever it went.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Born is the King of Israel.

This star drew nigh to the northwest,
O’er Bethlehem it took it rest,
And there it did both stop and stay
Right over the place where Jesus lay.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Born is the King of Israel.

Then entered in those wise men three
Full reverently upon their knee,
and offered there in his presence
Their gold, and myrrh, and frankincense.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Born is the King of Israel.

Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord;
That hath made heaven and earth of naught,
And with his blood mankind hath bought.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Born is the King of Israel.

You don’t want to miss this incredibly special presentation of The First Noel from Celtic Woman featuring Chloe Agnew:

Play it again and sing along!

(Yes, it is a busy season but please check back Wednesday, December 26^th for a particularly moving and satisfying Christmas experience.)

Like so many, perhaps you listened to the previous posts of carols here and recovered your joyous mood. Today’s feature, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, will fill your joy with His purpose.

Perhaps you, like me, learned to sing “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” at a very young age and never knew just what kind of angels these “herald angels” are. Here are the first three definitions of “herald” from my 1828 Noah Webster’s American English Dictionary:

1. An officer whose business was to denounce or proclaim war, to challenge to battle, to proclaim peace, and to bear messages from the commander of an army. Hence,

2. A proclaimer; a publisher; as the herald of another’s fame.

3. A forerunner; a precursor; a harbinger.

These weren’t just any angels; they were Herald Angels. Let’s enjoy Charles Wesley’s famous and everlasting carol from one of the most gifted soprano voices of our age, Sissel, appropriately accompanied by a “full strings” concert orchestra full choir:

Go ahead and sing along (Sissel is singing the 1^st and 3^rd stanzas; here are the lyrics:

Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the new born King, peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled! Joyful, all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies; with th’ angelic host proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem! Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the new born King!

Christ, by highest heaven adored; Christ, the everlasting Lord; late in time behold him come, offspring of a virgin’s womb. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail th’ incarnate Deity, pleased with us in flesh to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel. Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the new born King!”

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his wings. Mild he  lays his glory by, born that we no more may die, born to raise us from the earth, born to give us second birth. Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the new born King!