Dennis L. Finnan Commentator
"The World, the Word & You! Broadcast"

THE MONK'S GARDEN

“Every one of us knows the story of Frankenstein. The hideous attempt to recreate life and the bizarre outcome that brought forth a ‘monster.’ Many stories like this came from the accounts of the mysterious and magical alchemists of the Middle Ages. Today I want to talk about one of them and his attempt to create artificial life.”

I’m Dennis Finnan, host and speaker on the World, the Word & You! Broadcast and in a moment, we’ll talk about  a man named Paracelsus…

…Everyone of us has read of or heard about the mysterious and magical alchemists of the Middle Ages.  Some of the stories, of course, were totally fictitious, even ridiculous, but some of them were not that at all.  In fact, none was more controversial than the brilliant 16^th century Swiss physician and alchemist, named Paracelsus.  Like his fellow "wizards", this famous doctor spent his life in his laboratory trying to unlock the greatest mystery, the "fashioning" of life.  Of course, many of us are aware humankind has been fascinated with creation, and that much fiction has evolved around it, to thrill us with stories of man-made life drawn from complicated magical and electro-chemical formulas.  Everyone remembers the tragic tale of Dr. Frankenstein and his "creation of life", unfortunately gone berserk.  Well, such stories have been with us for centuries.  Yet in reality,  men like Dr. PARACELSUS were seriously dedicated to the idea of creating artificial life in their laboratories. But before we get down to this strange story from the past, let’s pause one more time and listen to another moment of music, after which I’ll return with today’s message entitled: THE MONK’S GARDEN…

… About the same time the Swiss Alchemist, Dr. PARACELSUS, was experimenting with mysterious formulas to create life, history records another man was hard at it also.  The tale is told that in Prague , "LOEW ben BEZALEEL, a High Rabbi, was said to have given life to a shapeless clay mass called the "GOLEM".  According to this once popular Hebrew legend, the Rabbi wrote the secret name of God on a piece of parchment and placed it on the hulk's forehead.  Suddenly, the story recounts, the creature was endowed with the "life".  However, like the Frankenstein story, this creation was not good at all, for it ran wild, turning on its creator and causing great destruction on the people around the area.  Finally, the Rabbi realized this creation could only do evil, and so he destroyed it.

Amazingly, variations of the "Golem" legend, describing man-made life, all seem to report that whatever life man supposedly created, for some reason it was evil and highly destructive.  However, the theme of man-made life brings dangerous turns more sinister when we think what man has today been able to do.  Has biochemistry and technology reached the "last times" anticipated by PARACELSUS, when no secret thing is hidden from us?  Have we reached the awesome height of knowledge where we can today turn many of the fantasies of medieval wizards and creative storytellers into hard realities of laboratory science?

To find the answers, we have to go back in time to a quiet monastery, where we find a poor schoolteacher growing a garden.  Of course, this all began when the world witnessed the birth of a man whose name was Gregor Johann Mendel.  Gregor Mendel was the child of a poor peasant family, so while growing up, he had little to nothing.  When he reached the years to be educated, his parents had little to supply.  However, Mendel was a young lad that strongly desired to lea rn about life.  He worked hard and supported himself through long and difficult years and obtained a reasonable education.  His greatest desire in life, though, was working with the soil and exploring the life that abundantly sprang from it.  Although he had basic schooling, most of his knowledge of life came from self-teaching.  As such, when he desired to support himself through the profession of school teaching, alas, he could only get a temporary certificate due to a lack of a recognized formal education.  Yet Mendel professionally taught, nearly all of his life, by this temporary certificate because none would recognize his self- lea rning skills and knowledge for a proper license.

In the year 1847, Gregor Mendel, tired of the grind, sought a "new life".  His desire to know God, and to live a life p lea sing to Him seemed impossible to pursue in the world around him, so Mendel joined the religious "Order of Augustinians." There he planned to follow the simple, quiet and meditative life.  Additionally, one of his reasons for this new life was that he could return to the soil, his greatest love.  Mendel the Monk, soon began to farm a garden behind the monastery.  It was here, he found his greatest fulfillment and p lea sure.  Now, Mendel worked hard there in his garden.  It was a modest garden about 100 feet long and about 20 feet wide but it was here that science took a "quantum lea p".  For Gregor Mendel, discovered what today is called, modern Genetics. 

Yes, Gregor Mendel experimented with growing varieties of pea plants, a subject I once talked about earlier in my broadcasts.  Mendel's mind wondered why some plants grew tall pea plants and others grew dwarf plants.  In addition, Mendel wondered why some peas, were wrinkled and others yielded smooth round ones.

Well, Mendel's scientific mind began experimenting.  He traced features of the pea seeds, such as round and wrinkled, white or gray.  Mendel found that the results of his experiments were indeed amazing.  He saw a c lea r dominance of one variety over another.  For instance, when the tall pea plants crossed with the dwarf ones, the offspring were always tall.  This prevailing trait he called dominant, and the masked trait he called recessive.

Excitedly, the monk worked to produce a third generation of hybrid peas and it was here he made the most remarkable discovery.  The recessive traits, which had been masked by the dominant ones in the second generation, not only reappeared in some offspring, but in almost the exact ratio of the three plants with the dominant characteristics to one with recessive.  Thus, no matter what trait followed - tallness, color or wrinkles - he discovered that 75% showed the dominant traits and 25% showed the recessive.

It was by these experiments, Mendel discovered that cells for reproduction are different from all other living cells.  Reproductive cells always divide in two with each parent supplying half the traits that appear in offspring.  Today, we know that inside each living cell of life, there are genes, responsible for passing along all the hereditary characteristics, that make each kind of life reproduce the same.  Now, these genes, we know today, are arranged in a line on a tiny thread strand called a chromosome, which always operates in pairs.

Now someone might say - SO WHAT!  Well, I say to that - all that the MONK'S GARDEN produced, simply affirms the writings of the Word of God, that teaches all life comes into existence, not by some evolutionary hapless chance of disordered nature, but by the clever and astonishing "creative hand" of an OMNIPOTENT SOVEREIGN GOD! 

You see friend, the Bible tells us that in the beginning, there was nothing but God.

Gen 1:1 (NASB)  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Psa 90:2 (NASB)  Before the mountains were born, Or Thou didst give birth to the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God.

Indeed, God being an eternal Being, existed endlessly before all space, time and matter came into being. But contrary to this, secular science today teaches that everyone, including the Universe and all existing life, came into being from one tiny atom, that exploded eons ago in what is called the BIG- BANG theory of formation.  From this tremendous explosion, say evolutionists, came forth the marvelous complex, orderly universe and all the stars and worlds we know of. 

From there, evolutionists further fantasize, that life just happened to "evolve", and in time, the species of life called man, came around to be as you and I exist today.  This theory of origins is now the only permissible teaching in American educational life according to the ruling of the Supreme Court in America .  How sad and foolish!

But, do you know what has happened since then?  When man launched the “Stargazer” spacecrafts, that have been sent out into the universe, information has come back that has shocked evolutionists to the bone!  They have amazingly found that as the universe c lea rly exists, the universe we live in, could never have come into existence by a "BIG-BANG" explosion!  Furthermore, our spacecraft information now tells us, it is totally impossible for spontaneous generation to have occurred!  Amazingly, what these automated spacecraft explorers have discovered, is that EVOLUTION IS DEAD! 

But, far be it that any evolutionists would tell you that.  No, Gregor Mendel's garden and other scientific explorer’s works, have always declared that God's Word is truth –

Gen 1:1 (NASB)  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Furthermore, the first chapter of the Book of Genesis, gives us the whole story of our existence, for it tells us, God created everything in six solar days!  Then it goes on to tell us, accurately and honestly, what occurred following that.  Yes, God made the universe with the galaxy of stars and planets.  He then singled out this lone planet and began the formation of life by first bringing forth, plant life.  In verse 11 of Genesis one, we are told "God said,

"Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed and fruit trees bearing fruit, after their kind, with seeds in them… (Gen 1:11)

Then is verse 20 God tells how He then created "swarms of living creatures in the waters of our world and then the variety of birds to fly above the earth".  Following this, the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves within the water and air…"AFTER THEIR KIND".  Of course, the historical record then tells us God continued His work of creation by bringing forth the land creatures AFTER THEIR KIND, until God set about to produce His final and highest creation, MAN himself.  In verse 27, we are plainly told "And God created man in His own image, male and female He created them".

Now, what is most remarkable is, God c lea rly specified that each species of life was uniquely created and their reproduction would be c lea rly…"AFTER THEIR KIND!"  All that Mendel and his pea plants, and all that any science today can ever discover is, that life is carefully and mysteriously guarded to reproductively remain within the variety of each particular "kind".   There never was any evolutionary struggle, neither can one kind evolve into a different "kind."  Oh, there can be dwarf plants, tall plants, there can be pygmy-beings and giants.  However, man will be man, cattle will be cattle, birds will be birds and every "kind", although there may be a limited variation within each "kind", there never can be a vertical evolution as our "stones and bones" men of science attempt to tell us.

Friend, have you been duped to believe the carefully crafted lie of evolutionary origins?  If so, have you also been informed of the recent findings that declare Evolution, as a valid theory of the origin of life that it has died?  Probably not, because the alternative is to have faith in a Creator of life, who intelligently designed all things. Atheists and Agnostics never could acknowledge this, for it would require their personal submission to such a Designer who lives in eternity. Yes, evolution is, and always has been, just a convenient excuse to live in rebellion to God's laws of life and to be accountable to the Creator.  Yet, to do so by no means absolves anyone from accountability.  There is a reckoning coming and God has promised that it will be a severe and catastrophic one, for all, who in this life, refuse to acknowledge God's marvelous creation (Romans 1:18; Jude 10-15; 2John 7-11; Rev.20: 11-14). Yet, mankind will continue to try to create and discover evolutionary life, senselessly trying to prove that we all come from a creationless past.

But, may I say this is futile! Why? For, God's Word stands as truth against it.  Say, friend, have you turned your heart and life over to God your Creator?  Have you sought Him and thanked Him for the life He has given to you?  The only one true God, the Christian Bible alone reveals, and tells us we can all can find Him if we seek Him with all our hearts (Jer. 29:13). 

Jer 29:13 (NASB)  ‘And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

Today, why not look up into that wondrous expanse called the heavens and with your mind's eye - look and see the designer’s signature. Then , when you see it, call out to your Creator for Him to come to you!  He is not far away from anyone who seeks Him.  Jesus Christ, the Bible reveals is our Creator come in human flesh, and He tells all of us what to do.

 "COME UNTO ME ALL YE THAT LABOR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST." (Matt. 11:28)

Today, the most blessed thing I could do for you, is point you to your Creator, who is revealed to us as Jesus Christ, the infinite God-man who came to save us from our sins.  Won't you open your heart and life to Him?  As you are alive today, you have only two choices.  You can take Christ as your Savior and honor Him as your Lord-God, or you will acknowledge Him in the afterlife as your JUDGE and CREATOR GOD. 

I find the latter choice unbelievably unworthy and foolish.  Hence, I've made my choice.  I have claimed my revealed Creator, in the Person of Jesus Christ, as my Savior from my sins, and I acknowledge Him, forever, as my Lord and God.  Scripture declares,

Col 1:14-20  God has purchased our freedom with his blood and has forgiven all our sins. 15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before God made anything at all and is supreme over all creation. 16 Christ is the one through whom God created everything in heaven and earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—kings, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities. Everything has been created through him and for him. 17 He existed before everything else began, and he holds all creation together. 18 Christ is the head of the church, which is his body. He is the first of all who will rise from the dead, so he is first in everything. 19 For God in all his fullness was p lea sed to live in Christ, 20 and by him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of his blood on the cross.

I personally came to understand and believe that when I was 29 years old, and friend, not one moment of that truth, has been lost to me or wasted since then.  Jesus Christ Himself therefore says,

Mat 11:28 (NASB)  “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.

May God grant you the same joy, contentment and happiness of life's fulfillment that comes by crowning Christ your Creator God and Savior from your sins.  The Monk's Garden, like everything else, reveals there is a Creator God  who has intricately designed all of existence. Even the lowly pea plants have the mark of intelligent design, and as such all men must acknowledge and glorify that Designer which is Jesus Christ.  Have you acknowledge Him by receiving Him into your heart? 

John 1:12 (NASB)  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,

If not will you, right now and enter the wonder of true creation and our Creator? God bless all who do…

… Friend, the creation of artificial life is still the foolish quest of many biotechnologists today.  Although God has given us much space in experimenting with life, creation still belongs to God alone.  Although men like PARACELSUS, RABBI LOEW BEN BEZA-LEEL, and every evolutionary geneticist today, dreams of creating or substantially altering life - godly men like Gregor Mendel and his MONK'S GARDEN, always show that God's Word and ways are right.

Our mission today is not to create new life ourselves, but to allow God to "recreate" life anew in every human being that lives.  This new life in the Bible is called being "born again".  It comes to anyone -- good people, bad people, hopeful people and helpless people - but only through trusting, that is exercising believing faith in Jesus Christ, as your Creator God and your personal Savior from our sins.  Have you been so "born again?"  If not, you have missed the whole point of life itself which God has designed, that you and I might live forever with Him. However, that cannot happen until you allow God to recreate you into an existence that can stand the tests of time and eternity.  Like many tales of artificially created life, man is, in a sense, a creature gone bad, a creature operating on his own in berserk fashion wreaking havoc on himself and the world he exists in.  However, this sinister evil is not the result of our Creator God.  NO, He created all things perfect (Gen. 1:31).  Rather it is the result of man's personal choice to reject God's controlling care, and to correct this, all men have to, again, personally choose to be under God's controlling care.  May God grant you the will to choose Him and be restored to the abundant life God planned from the beginning.  

·         Radio talk #2002

·         Broadcast date: May 19, 2002

·         Speaker: Dennis L. Finnan, Commentator

·         Program: The World, the Word & You! Radio Broadcast

·         Address: P.O. Box 40133 Grand Junction, CO 81504

The World, the Word & You! Broadcast is a non-denominational ministry based on the historic fundamental evangelical interpretation of the Scriptures. A copy of our doctrinal statement is available upon request. These weekly radio commentaries are not exhaustive studies of any particular subject due to the time limit of broadcasting. Actual broadcasts can be heard in selected areas around the nation, as funding provides. Dennis Finnan has been the speaker for over 22 years, and serves as General Director.

These transcripts are available free of charge to all who desire them. Also available are actual radio cassette tapes and printed booklets of each message. A free listing of recent messages is available upon request also.