A Bible study on prayer and the Trinity

[This a supposed to be a fairly short bible study on a rather big subject. The plan is to split into three or four groups and allocate one set of questions to each, and then get them to join back together to share. Any thoughts on the questions or bible passages would be helpful.]

"Prayer is talking to God" (Goldsworthy)

"through Christ we both have access to the Father by one Spirit" (Ephesians 2:18)

Praying to the Father... (Luke 11:1-13)

• What are we talking about? Using simple language, what does it mean to say that we pray to the Father?
• Is there an alternative? Who/what else do non-Christians, and Christians, pray to?
• Who cares? If we pray to the Father, what difference should that make to our prayers?

...through the Son... (Hebrews 4:14-16; 7:24-25; 10:19-23)

• What are we talking about? Using simple language, what does it mean to say that we pray through the Son?
• Is there an alternative? Who/what else do non-Christians, and Christians, pray through?
• Who cares? If we pray through the Son, what difference should that make to our prayers?

...by (or 'in') the Spirit (Romans 8:11-30; cf. Ephesians 6:17-18, Jude 19-20)

• What are we talking about? Using simple language, what does it mean to say that we pray by/in the Holy Spirit?
• Is there an alternative? Who/what else do non-Christians, and Christians, pray by/in?
• Who cares? If we pray by/in the Holy Spirit, what difference should that make to our prayers?

[ The Trinity talks (John 16:13-14, 17:6-21; cf. Genesis 1:26, Romans 8:26, 34)

• What are we talking about? Using simple language, what does it mean for the three persons of the Trinity to talk to each other?
• Is there an alternative? Who/what do Christians and non-Christians think of as talking, and how else can we think of God?
• Who cares? If the Trinity talks, what difference should that make to our prayers? ]