Read the introduction of a speech given by a park ranger.

this is going to be a beautiful week at windswept dunes, and i hope you enjoy all the beach has to offer. there is a unique opportunity available because sea turtles are nesting on our northern shore. volunteers are needed to patrol the beach to protect these endangered creatures from lurking predators. you can make a difference by just taking a stroll on the beach at an assigned time. while enjoying the view of the ocean at night, you can clap your hands or whistle a tune to discourage raccoons and possums from disrupting the turtle habitats.

the author’s purpose in writing this speech is to

persuade listeners to perform volunteer work.
inform listeners about organized beach activities.
inform listeners about the life cycles of turtles.
entertain listeners with stories about beach wildlife.

11-32. the main character in the parable, the forgiving father, whose character remains constant throughout the story, is a picture of god. in telling the story, jesus identifies himself with god in his loving attitude to the lost. the younger son symbolizes the lost (the tax collectors and sinners of that day, luke 15: 1), and the elder brother represents the self-righteous (the pharisees and teachers of the law of that day, luke 15: 2). the major theme of this parable seems not to be so much the conversion of the sinner, as in the previous two parables of luke 15, but rather the restoration of a believer into fellowship with the father. in the first two parables, the owner went out to look for what was lost (luke 15: 1-10), whereas in this story the father waits and watches eagerly for his son's return. we see a progression through the three parables from the relationship of one in a hundred (luke 15: 1-7), to one in ten (luke 15: 8-10), to one in one (luke 15: 11-32), demonstrating god’s love for each individual and his personal attentiveness towards all humanity. we see in this story the graciousness of the father overshadowing the sinfulness of the son, as it is the memory of the father’s goodness that brings the prodigal son to repentance (romans 2: 4).