Nothing

Many of us tend to have a "God of the gaps" theology. We carry on with our own lives and doing our own thing until we hit a problem we can't solve (a gap) and then we rush to God. 

Jesus has a different take: Actually, a branch cannot grow without a life-giving and life-sustaining vine connection. Oh the branch can fake life, it can pretend that the its drying or dried out leaves are actually still alive. The branch can put up a good pretence, but it's not really alive and it's not going to produce any fruit. 

Today many people put up a good show. They have the signs of life: the houses, cars, salaries and showcase families, but there is often a deep inner void - a God-shaped hole inside - a space that only Christ can fill. 

It's quite odd really - most people try to deal with reality by "faking it." 

Jesus is refreshingly blunt - you can't do real life without Him.
And this is not about being near the Vine
or trying to look and sound like the Vine.
It's not about studying the Vine or using Vine terminology.
It's about connecting to the Vine. 

When all the pretences are stripped away, what can we do without a real relationship with God? 

What can we do without getting life-nutrition from the Vine? 

What can we do apart from Him? 

Nothing.