The Gospel of Matthew, Volume one, is the first in a six or seven volume set. Three hundred and twenty five sermons were preached, in a seven and a half year period, in public worship, through every word and every verse of the Gospel.

Today we begin, together, a very sacred work, the Gospel of Yahveh. Yeshua. Jesus. The One without Whom nothing was made that was made. The One Whose Name is above every Name. God. Became man. Born of a virgin. The God-man. God the son - emptied Himself. Emanuel - God with us.

This reverent work we are about to do is through the awesome events that took place in history. When God took the flesh of man and lived among us. And Who suffered the pain of rejection (God was rejected by men), physical torture and death; Who arose from the grave and ascended into heaven.

If we take nothing more with us today, be sure that it is the sense of approaching a most sacred thing - the Gospel. Here it is the Gospel according to Matthew - the Good News, the Glad Tidings, for God came to die in order that man might have life. And the man, Matthew, the ex-tax collector, a Roman collaborator, wrote it down - as tradition says, about eight or nine years after the resurrection and ascension.

Rev. John C. Martin is pastor of Community Presbyterian Church in Tyler, Texas