God's mission for Saul was to be a chosen vessel to bear the name of Jesus before the Gentiles — and before kings and the children of Israel.
God revealed to Ananias that Saul was a chosen vessel to bear the Lord's name before the Gentiles, kings, and children of Israel. Paul later described his calling as being separated from his mother's womb, called by God's grace, and commissioned to preach Christ among the heathen. Les Feldick stresses that this was a Gentile-focused mission, making Saul the apostle to the Gentiles after Israel's failure.
Acts 9:15 — This is the verse where God directly defines Saul's assignment through Ananias: 'a chosen vessel to bear my name before the Gentiles.'
Galatians 1:15-16 — Paul's own testimony that God separated him, called him by grace, and revealed His Son in him so he could preach among the heathen.
In Acts 9, after Ananias objects to Saul because of his reputation, the Lord gives a direct commission: 'But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel' (Acts 9:15). The Lord also tells Ananias, 'For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake' (Acts 9:16). In Galatians, Paul himself describes the same mission: 'But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen' (Galatians 1:15-16). Scripture therefore identifies Saul's post-conversion mission as a grace-called ministry to the Gentiles, with suffering included in the assignment.
Les emphasizes that Saul was called by pure grace. He did not deserve it, but God separated him from his mother's womb and called him to reveal His Son in him for the purpose of preaching among the heathen — the Gentiles. Les points out that this was God's distinct purpose for bringing Saul on the scene: taking the Gospel of Grace to the Gentiles. Les also shows that Saul's mission came after Israel had missed their Old Testament calling to be a light to the Gentiles. Rather than using the whole nation, God raised up one little Jew — Saul of Tarsus — and primarily made him the apostle to the Gentiles. God revealed this to Ananias almost immediately, telling him that Saul was a chosen vessel to bear His name before the Gentiles, a concept unheard of in Jewish culture at that time.
Ananias knew Saul's reputation and told the Lord how much evil Saul had done to the saints in Jerusalem and that he had authority from the chief priests to bind believers. The Lord answered, 'Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.' God also told Ananias that Saul would suffer great things for His name's sake. Les points out that this was something unheard of in Jewish culture: God was sending a former persecutor to the Gentiles.
Not at first. As Les observes, Saul went straightway to preach Christ in the synagogues, showing that he was still thinking Jew-only and had no idea God would turn to the Gentiles with a different program. Saul understood Jesus as the Messiah of Israel, but God had a path for him out among the Gentiles, and He would later enlighten Saul as to what He wanted.
Jewish culture had no expectation of going to the Gentiles in their generation, even though the prophets had spoken of Israel being a light to the Gentiles. Les says the people had the same mentality as Jonah. Because Israel missed her calling, God brought on the scene one little Jew, Saul of Tarsus, saved him on the road to Damascus, and immediately informed him he would be sent to the Gentiles. This was the first indication in the book of Acts that God was bringing the Gentiles into the picture.
Introducing Paul: Why God Stopped the Prophetic Clock
Now I hope I'm not doing violence to Scripture, and I certainly don't think I am, when I say that there was only one Lord so far as a religious Jew of Christ's day, and who would that have been in the Old Testament? Well Jehovah, wasn't it? Now I like to think that Saul of Tarsus, religious fanatic that he was, when he saw that intense light come from above, from heaven, as it says, and heard the …
Saul's Grace Calling to Preach to the Heathen
God separated Saul from his mother's womb, called him by grace, and revealed His Son in him so Saul could preach Him among the heathen — the Gentiles.
Saul's Post-Conversion Starting Point
Saul immediately preached Christ in the synagogues, showing he still thought 'Jew only' because he did not yet know God was going to the Gentiles with a different program.
Saul as the Apostle to the Gentiles
Because Israel missed their Old Testament calling to bring Gentiles to Jehovah, God raised up one little Jew, Saul, and made him primarily the apostle of the Gentiles.
The Chosen Vessel Revealed to Ananias
Les reads Acts 9:13-15 and emphasizes that God told an objecting Ananias that Saul was a chosen vessel to bear His name before the Gentiles — something unheard of in Jewish culture.
Saul's Path Led Out to the Gentiles
Saul was saved under the Kingdom Gospel for the moment, but God had a path for him out among the Gentiles and would need to enlighten him about that purpose.
Saved on Gentile Ground for a Gentile Mission
Saul was on Gentile ground outside Damascus when God saved him by grace and immediately informed him he would be sent to the Gentiles — the first Acts indication of Gentiles coming in.
God's Revealed Purpose to Ananias
God brought on the scene one little Jew, Saul of Tarsus, and revealed to Ananias that Saul was a chosen vessel who would take the Word to the Gentile.
Acts 9:15: But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
This is God's direct statement to Ananias defining Saul's mission.
Acts 9:16: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.
This follows the commission and shows that suffering was part of Saul's mission.
Acts 9:20: And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
This shows Saul's immediate activity after conversion, preaching Christ to Jews first.
Galatians 1:15: But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
Paul describes the divine source and timing of his calling.
Galatians 1:16: To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
This reveals the purpose of Paul's calling — preaching Christ among the Gentiles.
Ananias told the Lord he had heard how much evil Saul had done in Jerusalem and that Saul had authority to bind believers. The Lord replied, 'Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel' (Acts 9:15).
In Galatians 1:15-16, Paul says God separated him from his mother's womb and called him by grace to reveal His Son in him so he might preach Him among the heathen. Les Feldick points out that 'the heathen' in Scripture refers to the Gentiles, showing Saul's purpose was to take the Gospel of Grace to the Gentiles.
No, according to Les Feldick. Saul immediately began preaching Christ in the synagogues, still Jew-only, because he only knew the Old Testament program. God had a path for him out to the Gentiles and would later enlighten him.
Watch the Teaching: Introducing Paul: Why God Stopped the Prophetic Clock