Christian Viking
Every man loves a war story. They love stories of heroes conquering evil, or warriors displaying brotherhood amongst chaos, and battles that seem to be lost turning tables with the underdogs being resilient enough to change the tides.
We often talk about a warriors mentality. A mindset of discipline, and leaving a legacy.
By the title you’re probably like “bro I thought we were going to talk about some Viking stuff”
Well here ya go here’s the Viking stuff I found intriguing.
Around A.D. 864 Ragnar Lothbrok was killed by the King of England. He threw into a pit he couldn’t climb out of that was full of venomous snakes. Ragnar stands up, and says
“Gnydja Munda grisir ef galtar hag vissi”
“the piggies would grunt if knew how the old boar died”
What does that mean? IT WAS A JOKE. if you’ve seen Vikings the tv show you know this is a serious scene and Ragnar says nothing and stares at the King as he dies. But according to Norse Sagas he said this.
The scholars on this believe it was taunting of the king. Basically Ragnar saying “once my sons hear about this you’re a dead man”
Based on historical records. This meaning is far more believable than Ragnar just staring the King down as he died.
Next we have the next year A.D. 865 The Ragnarssons (Ivar the boneless, Bjorn Ironside, Sigurd Snake In The Eye, and Halfdan Ragnarsson) THE PIGGIES. And a great Viking army came to England.
They rampaged through a England, and killed the King.
King Hrolf early 6th century
A danish King Arthur. His keep was filled with his champions, and a jealous cousin wanted the throne. He attacked in a surprise, and killed all but one. Voggr! The cousin offered him his sword to pledge allegiance to him as the new danish king. He accepted the sword, and immediately drove it into the heart of the would-be king, Hjorvard. Voggr was obviously killed right after that.
He deceived the cousin, but he fulfilled his life’s vow of fighting, and avenging King Hrolf.
The Jomsvikings!
They were a mercenary group of Vikings. Around A.D. 986 they were recruited by the King of Denmark to kill YulHolcum, and Young Erik of Norway. I’m Hjorungavagr they were defeated, and about to be beheaded.
While they were lined up for execution one Viking stood up, and refused to be beheaded sitting down so everyone would see he wouldn’t flinch at his death. Another with long hair ask the executioner to get someone to hold his hair because he wanted his hair to be beautiful on the spike they would place it on. They obliged. When the executioner swung the sword he pulled the guy holding his hair so that the sword cut off the hands of his fellow soldier.
The Vikings apparently burst into laughter before they continued with the execution.
So why did I give you this graphic history of Vikings being killed? What’s the purpose?
It’s this. Not one of these Vikings feared death nor did they want to die, and not be remembered.
THEY LIVED AND FOUGHT FOR THEIR LEGACY
Are we as Christian men living in a way that our legacy will be remembered?
Are we fighting until our last breath for it?
Here’s one more story for you. A Christian with the mindset the same as these viking stories above. A man with a heart for the Lord. A man who did in fact fight the fight until his dying breath.
Polycarp. He was a bishop of Smyrna, and was discipled directly for the Apostle John.
So obviously being trained by one of the “Sons of Thunder” you know he was a threat spreading the message of Christ to everyone who wasn’t already a believer.
Polycarp at 86 years old was arrested, tried, and convicted. Refusing to burn incense to the Roman Emperor. Polycarp was asked to deny Christ to save himself, He didn’t. He was to be bound, and burned at the stake.
It is recorded that Polycarp said
“You threaten me with a fire that burns for a season, and after a little while is quenched; but you are ignorant of the fire of everlasting punishment that is prepared for the wicked.”
How’s that for a “it is was it is” death statement?
Polycarp was again asked to blaspheme Christ to save himself. He said
“I bless you, Father, for judging me worthy of this hour, so that in my company of the martyrs I may share the cup of Christ”
The Romans, upon seeing this continue to put him at the stake, and they went to bind him, Polycarp basically said “no need to tie me up, I’m not going anywhere.”
When they lit the fire it didn’t burn him, and it’s recorded it was blazing all around him.
THE FIRE DIDN’T BURN HIM.
The Romans decided to stab him with a spear to kill him, and the blood that came out of him extinguished the fire.
You see, Polycarp knew he was going to die. He stayed faithful to his mission the way the viking above did, the only difference is. Dying for a King, or Clan, or country has zero relevance in our eternal mission. Polycarp died knowing full well where he was going, and was assured by the hope had in the gospel of Christ.
So I ask again.
Are you fighting the spiritual battles?
Are you stepping out of your comfort zone to spread the gospel?
In the face of adversity, do you cowardly stay quiet, or do you speak truth directly into the situation no matter the consequence?
I hope if you have young children you are training yourself in the word to pass along to them.
If you have teenagers I pray you’re pouring into them, and set aside personal time with them to answer questions, train them, and ensure they’re properly prepared to spread the word, teach the word, and defend the word.
If you have adult children I hope you’re meeting with them at least monthly for a personal time of reflection, and prayer.
Encouraging them to fight this fight with the motivation, and purpose that the Word of God they spoke into someone's life will be a battle song sung for 100 generations.
This is the type of generational legacy we want to instill into the minds of every man, woman, and child who follows Fort Iron Ministries.
Are you fighting for legacy?
PALMER