As the Lord may direct our thoughts, we would seek to meditate upon the words found in that fifth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles that we read earlier, and especially in verse 31 of that chapter. Acts chapter five, and we shall read again from verse 29 to 32.

Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, we ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a prince and a savior. for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things. And so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

Well then, in particular, this statement in verse 31, Concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a prince and a saviour, for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

We read the whole account earlier as to how Peter and the apostles came to make this utterance. there seems to be a common theme in this episode, namely, God exalted and man abased. Perhaps as we read the account, you would have considered something of the absurdity of the situation. The high priest gathering together the council, the Sanhedrin, Those Jewish leaders coming together, no doubt with some pomp and ceremony. We read how he called the council together and all of the senate of the children of Israel. And then messengers are sent to the prison to bring forth the apostles. And firstly, there is the great embarrassment that those whom they had committed to the common prison were, for some reason that they could not fathom, no longer there. Well, in that, the high priest and the council were confounded. We read that when they heard of these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.

But then, having been confounded in that matter, worse is to come for them, because immediately another messenger comes and says, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people. Well, man, in his schemes, truly obeys. But again, there is something much deeper than this. Although the outward circumstance may perhaps bring a smile to our faces, yet God is teaching us a deeper truth. And it also comes out in what Peter says, especially in verses 30 and the verse of our text.

The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom he slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted. And of course, this concerns the Lord Jesus himself, Jesus of Nazareth. And see how directly opposed God's works are to those of man. What did the Jews do with Jesus? Well, actually it is interesting to note the language used by Peter and the apostles. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus. So he is talking here about the Jews' own God, what he had done. But as for them, they had slain this Jesus. They had hanged him on a tree. As you will doubtless remember from the account in the Gospels, how the Jews, almost as one, delivered Jesus to the Roman authorities. And how even when Pontius Pilate sought to release him, they insisted that he be crucified. And they said, his blood be upon us and upon our children. Well, what a solemn thing. But that was the work of man. That was the intention of the Jews. But Peter says, the God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom he slew and hanged on a tree. So all the while, it is God not only overruling man's contrary world, but in fact using it for his glory. And it is a common theme throughout these early chapters of the Acts. Again, Peter preaching, this time back on the day of Pentecost, and preaching note to the Jews, ye men of Israel, hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you. by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know.

Peter is pressing this lesson firmly home. It was God, their God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, that same God who had raised up Jesus of Nazareth, God had attested to this by the miracles, by the wonders and signs. In fact, they were done by God himself through him.

But what of man's work? Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. See again this opposition between the thoughts and desires and works of men by nature and the ongoing purposes of God. They had taken him by wicked hands, they had slain him.

But, continues Peter, whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that he should be holden of him. But as we say, man, by his opposition, by his persecutions, by his even taking the Son of God and delivering him up to be slain, man could not confound the purposes of God, because these things were only by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. And yet the Jews were guilty of what they had done.

And how the Lord preaches in this gospel through Peter. That's yes, it was the Jews who denied Jesus in the presence of Pilate. It was the Jews who denied the Holy One in the just and desired a murderer to be granted unto them. It was they who killed the Prince of Life. But God, he says, hath raised him from the dead, whereof we are witnesses.

And so, also in our text, yes, those wicked unbelieving Jews slew him and hanged him on a tree. But, says Peter, him hath God exalted, with his right hand to be a prince and a saviour. Now you may say, surely that is speaking of the Jews in their wicked unbelief, rejecting their saviour, their Christ, their Messiah. Indeed it is so, but the principle holds good that in spite of the greatest wickedness of man, in spite of the worst he can think of to perform, God will have his purpose, he will triumph, and his salvation will be made known.

And what encouragement there is, even for needy sinners, we who feel that by our iniquity By our sinnership, by our actual transgressions, we seem to have forfeited any hope of mercy, any hope of God's blessing. Yet if God not only could but did overrule the wickedness of the Jews, in taking his son, his heir, and as it were, casting him out of the vineyard and slaying him as in the parable.

Well, how much the more God can work through that death, through that sacrifice of his dear son, and he can overcome even our great mountains of sin and transgression. and He can make them to flow down at His presence. And He can do that which the Lord did in the miracles, open the eyes of the blind, unstop even our deaf ears, raise us up when we feel ourselves to be so lame and helpless, and yes, raise and quicken the very day.

Well indeed, man may oppose, man may seem to counteract all that is good. But remember, God has his determinate counsel, he has his foreknowledge, and the promise remains sure, that all things work together for good to them that love him, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Well then, in all these things, God continually working for his glory and for the salvation of his people and to bring down the pride of man, as we see in the case of the high priest and the Sanhedrin. Well then, this statement of Peter and the apostles concerning Jesus, him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a prince and a saviour, for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

Again, see how the Jews would have done away with him. They sought to destroy Jesus by handing him over to the Romans to be crucified. But in that very the dear Lamb of God being lifted up upon a cross. In that very act, he was in fact exalted and made to be most needful to the true Israel of God.

When we read in our text of God exalting him with his right hand, the reference to God's right hand speaks of power It speaks of the authority of God himself, and we may think in this case of God the Father, because the Father is going to exalt the Son. But what does it mean to exalt someone? Well, there are several thoughts that come in here. Firstly, if one or another is exalted, if they are set up on high, usually it is for the purpose of their honour and glory. If, for instance, one is exalted to the office of king, then that one who is thus raised up commands the respect and the allegiance of his subjects. And so in this sense, the Lord Jesus is exalted by his Father. to be a prince, a governor, a ruler, just as the Jews would have known from those glorious kings of old, especially David and Solomon. Solomon, in particular, raised up to govern at the time a vast empire. But this is great David's greater son. And God had exalted him, he had lifted him up.

And again, if one is exalted, it implies that they are given the authority and in some senses the ability to perform that office to which they are raised up. And why was and is Jesus known as the Christ? Well, the word originally meant the anointed one, And God did anoint his dear son, the Lord Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, that Spirit who was given not by measure, unto him. And thus being anointed, he was equipped for the great task that lay before him, of living a perfect, spotless life of obedience, and of laying down that life for his sheep. He was granted the Spirit of God that he might teach his people, that he might be their prophet, as well as their great high priest and king. And thus, now the Holy Spirit, that same Spirit, is the one who himself exalts the Lord Jesus. The one, the Lord Jesus, who is anointed. and granted all that the Father could give him, so that he might be made a true priest unto his people. And so in that sense also, in his being equipped for the task, he was and is exalted.

We must just mention that the exaltation of the Lord Jesus followed directly from his humiliation. I'm sure many of you will be thinking of those precious verses towards the opening of Philippians chapter two. Verses that stem from the apostles' teaching concerning humility and how each is to look. not only on his own things, but on the things of others, to let this mind, he says, be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. But what he teaches here concerns how the Lord was both abased and then lifted up, how he was at the first in the form of God, and yet thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant. Think of it, one who, as Paul says there, is in the form of God and who thought it not robbery to be equal with God because he was and is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit. But who took upon him the form of a servant who was made in the likeness of man and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Well, that is abasement. That is condescending love. The blessed, glorious second person of the Godhead thus fashioned as a man, humbling himself and becoming obedient even to the death of the cross.

But then there is what follows, wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow. and what a complete exaltation it is. One who condescended to stoop so low, and now raised so high, that every knee should bow of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. to the glory of God the Father.

Him hath God exalted with his right hand. So there is power, there is authority, there is the divine equipping for all the glorious offices that the Lord Jesus holds. And especially, as he mentions, exalted with his right hand to be a prince and a saviour, for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

I wonder if you have already noticed what this verse is teaching, because it mentions Israel, and Peter and the apostles are addressing the Jewish rulers. Well, surely we see that the Lord is saying here that in spite of the wickedness of those many, yet there shall be at least a remnant saved from them. As we read elsewhere of how many of the priests became obedient unto the faith. The Lord had purposed that in his blood there should be grace for the vilest, most wicked of sinners, even to those who it seems had been directly involved in his crucifixion.

What a mighty power there is in this exaltation of our Lord Jesus to be a prince. that such should be made available to his dear people. Repentance, forgiveness of sins, sense of the deepest die.

Notice also that the Lord God not only exalted his son Jesus to be a prince, a ruler, a governor, and a savior. But it was for this purpose to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

It does strike us when we read this passage, when we come to verse 33, Peter and the apostles having spoken of how the Jews had dealt with Jesus of Nazareth, when they heard that they were cut to the heart. Now of course the Spirit of God is able to work in such a way that those who do hear and who are cut to the heart will respond very differently to how the High Priest and the Sanhedrin responded

Back again in chapter two and at Peter's preaching on the day of Pentecost, after he had set forth the similar truth concerning Jesus, we read, now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do?

But here, just after our text, and I hope we do find this very solemn, we read, yes, that they were cut to the heart, but it was to the hardening of those hearts, as it would later be with Stephen and his preaching. And we read, they took counsel to slay them.

Well, we do feel personally that it is only the grace of God that can make that difference. The Word is preached, Jesus is declared, and there is in measure a conviction. But which is it to be? And which is it with us? Are we like those of whom we read? The chief priest, those other rulers, their hearts hardened, and although they were cut in their conscience by these things, it was rather to seek to defend themselves, to remove as far as they could the source of the preaching, to slay those who spake against

Well, of course, men and women generally will not seek the death of the preachers, although alas, that does happen still in many places. But what they do desire is this, to be exempted from the pricks of conscience, to set up some defense in their heart. And that is really one and the same thing. We may seek to remove ourselves from the hearing of the gospel. We may seek to put this truth away from us. And that is really in the same category as the high priest seeking to slay the apostles.

But we do hope that the grace of God is known, so that rather than that hardening, there is a breaking of the heart. and rather than the defence that the pride of man would rear up, there is such a softening as answers to what the Prophet of old said, when God promised to take the stony heart from the flesh of his people and grant them an heart of flesh.

Know that when we come under such conviction, it may not only be a natural conviction, but a spiritual one, and that we likewise might be pricked in our heart. And like those believing Jews of old, cry out, what shall we do? For as the jailer at Philippi says, what must I do to be saved? And thus, to receive that same answer of the gospel, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.

And thus we find that the Lord Jesus, being exalted to be a prince, does this work in the hearts of his people. And although many, alas, do not believe, Yet there are some, perhaps in places there are many, who know that gracious work, the hard heart subdued and heart of flesh granted, spiritual repentance and the contrite heart and contrite spirit that the Lord will not despise.

And thus we read of the effect of the exaltation of the Lord Jesus to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. Well, of course, we are speaking of the Israel of God, Gentile as well as Jew. And as we tried to enter a little more deeply into what it is for this gracious work to take place in the soul, Our thoughts went to the Psalms and to the 130th Psalm especially.

Because if the Lord is to grant repentance, if he is to grant forgiveness of sins, then there must be that work in which sin becomes a burden, in which sin becomes a trouble to us. You will read in the opening of that 130th Psalm of how the dear man of God cried out of the depths. And why was he in the depths? Surely it was because of his sinnership. And it was a burden to him. And so he says, Lord, hear my voice. Let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.

And the great question is, can we come with him into that place? But then there are these words in verse three. If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? A man or woman who speaks that prayer knows what iniquity is, and they know that their sinnership, their transgressions, their wrongdoing before God will condemn them unless there be an exemption. This is what we read of in the next verse, verse 4 of the psalm. But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. And the whole of our religion is based upon that trust. When he says that thou mayest be feared, It opens the door to the possibility of worship, of a filial fear, but of the love of God by a poor sinner. There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared.

And then in the last two verses of the psalm, let Israel hope in the Lord. Remember how in our text, in Acts, The Lord is exalted to give repentance to Israel. Let Israel hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.

Dear child of God, have you at times come into this experience to be encouraged to hope in the Lord? Very often it is, as we read of Abraham, a hope against hope. To the outward observer, there would seem to be little cause for our hope, given our depravity, given what we are in ourselves. But yet hope is raised up. And the word says, let Israel hope in the Lord. And here is the ground of it, for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. A sure and steadfast word upon which to ground our confidence, our trust, and yea, our hope of eternal salvation.

But it is this exaltation of the Lord Jesus, bearing in mind that there is forgiveness with God, that he should give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. Sometimes the scriptures do speak of the gift of repentance are a few instances where it is clear that this, as well as faith, is the gift of God. There is just an example in 2 Timothy 2, where Paul is instructing Timothy as to how he is to teach those who seem to oppose themselves in their false doctrine. And he makes this comment in verse 25, if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.

And I think it comes to us in our experience also, bearing in mind that we would all recognize that faith, saving faith is the gift of God. For it is by grace that ye are saved, as Paul writes to the Ephesians, not of yourselves. It is the gift of God. And if that faith that looks to Jesus is a God-given gift, then surely so is repentance. Because they are twin graces, they go hand in hand. And in fact, it seems repentance comes first. to repent, to turn from our wicked ways by nature, from our pride, from our self-reliance, from our self-sufficiency. And this repentance must be given by God. It is not any natural, superficial thing.

But where there is the repenting, the turning, then there is also the looking to one who is greater than all our sins and transgressions, and thus who can overcome them by the blood of his cross. And he does give repentance to his Israel, to his dear people. And if there is repentance, then that must breed forth confession of sin. Because if we repent from sin, then we confess that it is wicked and we disown it. This grace also to confess our sins, knowing that he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. In other words, where we are granted to repent truly, then we, in humble submission, confess our sins. And the Lord makes good that promise, and he does forgive us our sins.

Well, you may say, how is this great mercy known? That the Lord Jesus, being thus exalted by the right hand of the Father, grants this repentance and he grants his people to know that their sins are forgiven. Well, if you are particularly alert in your knowledge of Scripture, your thoughts may already be returning to one or two similar passages where these things are also mentioned. And it just so happens that the Lord Jesus had instructed his disciples about the preaching of these matters just before he was taken up into glory. The account that we have of this is right at the end of Luke's gospel. Remember there how we read concerning the Lord's instruction of them. For instance, in verse 46 and onwards, after he has, as we read, opened their understanding that they might understand the scriptures. And that itself is no small thing. But he said, thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day. And verse 47 of Luke 24, that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

So those same two things, repentance and remission, which is the same as forgiveness of sins. And he says these things should be preached in my name. And notice this as well, that they follow what he has just said concerning the sufferings of Christ and his resurrection on the third day. So this is how the child of God comes into the possession of them. The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is preached. His work, his person, his death, his sufferings, his glorious resurrection. Those blessed truths upon which the faith of the Lord's elect is grounded. Those things that the apostle Paul also was keen to impress upon his hearers and readers.

So these foundational truths. But as the Lord said, following on from them, repentance, remission of sins preached in his name. And dear Saint of God, is this not how at times you have come to profit from this? Christ preached, Christ exalted, and the blessed fruits of it, repentance bestowed, and with it faith to behold such a Saviour, and the sweet knowledge of the pardon, the remission, the forgiveness of sins. And it has ever been so, from the time that the Lord Jesus was preached in the Garden of Eden, the seed of the woman that should bruise the serpent's head, and repentance through his name.

It was preached in the wilderness when Moses lifted up the brazen serpent upon the poor, when men who had been bitten looked unto it, and he that looked lived. And thus the picture of how the Lord Jesus, being lifted up upon Calvary's cross, is a one to whom needy, serpent-bitten sinners, convicted, guilty, may look to the remedy and to find in him repentance and remission of sins. And again, wherever the Lord Jesus is preached, it is as Isaiah prophesied, one who should be exalted and extolled and very high, exalted indeed by the right hand of the Father. And we say indeed exalted in the preaching of the gospel

And as Isaiah says in that place, concerning this preaching, so shall he sprinkle many nations. The kings shall shut their mouths at him. For that which had not been told them shall they see. And that which they had not heard shall they consider. If we were to take out the chapter division there at the start of chapter 53, the next verse reads, who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? So you see the point. Christ exalted, the Lord Jesus extolled in the preaching of the gospel.

And are we among those who do see him? Do we hear those things that we had not formerly heard? And do we see those things that we had not elsewhere been told? Because the Lord Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and no man cometh unto the Father but by him. And are we among those who, unlike the majority, who, unlike the wicked and unbelieving Jews, do believe the report? And are we among those blessed ones to whom the arm of the Lord has been revealed? Well, it is because the Lord Jesus is exalted, because he has been raised up. Yea, he has been slain and hanged on the tree, but that is his exaltation in the sense of the Gospel. And thus the needy look unto him, and they live, exalted by the right hand of God to be a prince and a saviour.

And do we not prove it in this way? that He is a Saviour, a Deliverer, just as in the Old Testament the Lord raised up judges to deliver Israel from her enemies, and later kings too. So when we are beset around with multitudes of foes, not the natural armies that came up against Jerusalem, but spiritually, those legions of evil angels, Satan, and all the things that would oppose us in this world. The Lord Jesus comes in for us, and he delivers us, and he proves that he is an almighty saviour.

Christ exalted And in these things have we not found what the poet spake of, that this Lord Jesus Christ is sufficient and that he shall deliver us. All a helpless soul can need, all a faithful God can give, in this way is to be had. Here the hungry eat and live. and a preached Jesus shall be manner to our hungry souls. The Lord Jesus exalted shall prove to us the way to God.

And being thus raised up by the right hand of God, we shall know him to be a prince and a saviour. Where we could not prevail, he hath conquered. For we read, he is exalted for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

May the Lord bless his own word. Amen.