Before God ever cut a branch, He allowed the Vine to be cut.
Jesus does not begin John 15 with instruction—He begins with identity.
“I am the true vine.”
Every other vine failed. Religion failed. Rules failed. Human effort failed. Tradition failed. Even our best righteousness fell short. Scripture reminds us that our righteousness was never enough—it could not heal us, save us, or produce lasting fruit.
So Jesus stepped in and became what we could never be.
The Knife Hit Heaven First
A grape branch cut from the vine may look alive for a short time—but it is already dead. Life does not come from appearance; it comes from connection.
In a world obsessed with image, success, and performance, Jesus makes something clear: only those connected to the True Vine are truly living. You can post the highlights, preach the message, serve faithfully, and still be dry on the inside.
There are seasons where ministry continues outwardly, but inwardly the soul feels barren. That’s why God’s pruning is not punishment—it is protection.
Jesus Submitted to the Knife
Jesus was not pruned for sin.
He was cut for obedience.
Isaiah tells us He was “cut off from the land of the living.” The blade meant for us fell on Him. The Father’s hand at the cross was not reckless or angry—it was steady, intentional, and redemptive.
Like a surgeon who cuts to heal, not to harm, God allowed the knife so healing could follow.
Sometimes God removes what we ask Him to keep. What feels like loss is often rescue in disguise.
The Cross Was the Ultimate Pruning
Jesus said unless a seed dies, it remains alone.
The cross looked like loss, but heaven called it multiplication.
Farmers do not cry when they bury seed. Burial is not the end—it is the beginning. Church planting seasons, faith steps, obedience seasons often feel like death before fruit. But God plants deeper than we can see.
The cross was not failure.
It was preparation.
We Don’t Produce Fruit—We Receive It
Jesus said, “Apart from Me you can do nothing.”
Fruit is not achieved.
It is abided into.
An unplugged appliance may look brand new, but without power it cannot function. Strength is not found in acting strong—it’s found in staying close.
When my son is next to me, he walks with a different confidence. Not because he is stronger—but because he’s connected to his father. That’s how abiding works. Confidence flows from closeness.
The Fruit Is His, the Glory Is His
We are not the hero of the story.
Branches don’t carry pressure—they carry life.
Reservoirs store water, but rivers release it. Branches don’t generate life; they let it flow through them. The fruit is His. The glory is His. Our role is connection, not control.
Communion: Before Fruit, There Was Breaking
Before fruit, there was breaking.
Before life, there was blood.
The Vine was cut so you could stay connected.
That is the gospel.
That is the cost.
That is the love.
Final Declaration
Jesus, You are the Vine.
I am the branch.
I trust You with the cut
because I trust You with the cross.
This pruning season didn’t end with loss—it ended with life.
Because the Vine was cut first…
and the fruit still lives.