John the Baptist was baptizing people with water and calling them to God, but when he saw Jesus, he told all his followers: “Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, John the Baptist understood more about what Jesus was doing on Earth than the disciples or the religious leaders. The disciples didn’t understand until after they received the Holy Spirit, but John the Baptist understood before Jesus ministry started that His mission was to take away the sins of the world. Jesus is the sacrificial lamb, the lamb killed at Passover so the Angel of Death would pass over a house, the lamb slain as sacrifice to pay for the sins of the people. That one sentence is a summary of the Gospel: Jesus is the Lamb of God, who takes our sin away.
The Jews asked John the Baptist whether he was the Messiah, Elijah or he prophet. He told them no. They wanted him to explain his role in God’s plan. John knew who he was, but he really didn’t know the whole role he would play in God’s plan. Few of us do. We only know what John the Baptist knew – who we are and that Christ is so much greater than we are.
Do you struggle with defining what your role is in God’s plan? Don’t bother. Let go and make yourself available to Him to serve as He commands. Let Him take care of the plan and your role in it.