What did God tell Ananias about Saul's future mission?
God told Ananias not to worry about Saul, explaining that He would send this man far hence to the Gentiles. Saul would suffer for God's name's sake. Though Ananias had heard Saul persecuted the Jewish believers, God reassured him that Saul's mission would reach pagan Gentiles and involve suffering for His name.
Les explains that Saul of Tarsus had been spared on the road to Damascus when God retreated into His sovereignty and poured out mercy, saving him by grace. Saul responded, "Who art thou Lord?" as a humble seeking sinner saved by grace, ready to do whatever God wanted. Meanwhile, God had already told Ananias uptown Damascus that this fellow was coming into town. Ananias objected that he had heard how Saul persecuted the Jewish believers, but God said, "Don't worry about him. I'm going to send this man far hence to the Gentiles. He's going to suffer for my name's sake." Les notes that Saul or Paul later suffered greatly, as in 2 Corinthians chapter 11 or 12, yet he never slowed down in his fervor for getting the Gospel out to pagan Gentiles.