Jan 1 - A Voice In the Wilderness

Read John 1:19-34

Context: John (the apostle) has given a brief overview explaining that Jesus was with God from the beginning, and that he came to the world to give those who believe the right to become children of God. John (the apostle) has introduced John the Baptist as an eyewitness to this truth.

Text:
19Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ.[a]"
21They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No."
22Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"
23John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.' "[b]
24Now some Pharisees who had been sent 25questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"
26"I baptize with[c] water," John replied, "but among you stands one you do not know. 27He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie."
28This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
Jesus the Lamb of God
29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' 31I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."
32Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' 34I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God." (NIV)
Footnotes:
John 1:20 Or Messiah. "The Christ" (Greek) and "the Messiah" (Hebrew) both mean "the Anointed One"; also in verse 25.
John 1:23 Isaiah 40:3
John 1:26 Or in; also in verses 31 and 33
taken from http://www.biblegateway.com/

I wish we had more information about John the Baptist and how he grew up. Based on the revelation his father received, he knew that he would bring many of the people of Israel back to their Lord and that he would "go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous -- to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." (Lk 1:17) He was never to drink wine or other fermented drinks, and he was filled with the Holy Spirit, even from birth.

John the Baptist clearly knew his role in life, and at least as an adult he fulfilled it. How clearly can we know our roles today? Where do you think you stand in fulfilling the role God has given you?