Chief Human Resources Officer, M&T Bank
Elder David Hollis - How Did You Get Out?
Speaker: Elder David Hollis
Subject: "How Did You Get Out?"
Mt. Zion Apostolic Church
4900 E 38th St, Indianapolis, IN 46218
Pastor: Bishop Lambert W. Gates
About David Hollis
David Hollis, who serves as Chief Human Resources Officer at Mt Bank, has also been active as a religious speaker. In a February 2024 sermon titled "Non-Negotiables," Hollis drew from the book of Exodus to discuss what he described as aspects of faith that should not be compromised. He stated that "my peace is nonnegotiable; my hope is nonnegotiable; my crown is nonnegotiable; my salvation is nonnegotiable," and urged the congregation not to negotiate their faith, peace, hope, salvation, or legacy. Hollis also referenced the biblical plagues in Egypt and emphasized God's record-keeping and the importance of names. In a 2019 sermon titled "How Did You Get Out?" at Mt. Zion Apostolic Church in Indianapolis, Hollis spoke from Genesis chapter 38, discussing themes of deliverance and redemption. He referenced the story of Judah and Tamar, and stated that "while we were without strength Christ died for the ungodly; while you were his enemy he was taking care of you." Hollis also noted that the book of Genesis contains "first literature, first culture, first marriage, first humanity, first redemption."
Transcript (47 segments)
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So sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take him at his word, just to rest upon his promise, just to know thus saith the law. I am very thankful to God for the opportunity to stand behind the sacred desk. I stand before you knowing that without me, God would still be God, but without God, I would be nothing. Somebody praise Him.
Greater Apostolic Faith in Detroit. He is also the presiding prelate of the Pentecostal Churches of the Apostolic Faith. I want to thank God that I call him my big brother. Let's salute leadership tonight. The Lord and the peace of God be upon you, to the elect lady. Let's give God praise for Lady Nancy Gates. We salute her in the name of the Lord. And to all of you that serve at the delegation of the bishop, I salute you all. And to this outstanding choir in music ministry, the grace of our God be with you all. I'm reading out of what is known as the authorized version, we also call it the King James. Chapter 38, it is the first book of our Judeo-Christian...
And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua, and he took her and went in unto her. And she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. And she conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan. And she yet again conceived and bore a son, and called his name Shelah. He was at Chezib.
She travailed, but the one put out his head. The midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, 'This came out first.' And it came to pass as he drew back his hand that, behold, his brother came out. And she said, 'How hast thou broken forth? This breach be upon thee.' Therefore his name was called Pharez. And afterward came out his brother that had the scarlet thread upon his hand, and his name was called Zarah.
And it came to pass when she travailed that the one put out his hand. The midwife took it and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, 'This came out first.' And it came to pass as he drew back his hand that, behold, his brother came out. And she said, 'Broken forth, this breach be upon thee.' Therefore his name was called Pharez.
Pray that I would rightly divide the word of truth and not be guilty of misapplication, misinterpretation, or generalization of the text. Father, I pray in the name of Jesus that when we walk off of these grounds, let us be able to testify it was good for us to be here tonight. Anoint me afresh. Save somebody. Edify your people, God. Speak a word tonight that will bless somebody for the rest of this month. Speak a word tonight that will bless somebody for the rest of this week. I trust you to do it in Jesus' name. Amen. I'm gonna do something that they tell us really not to do a lot, but I'm gonna do it anyway.
If you got a look across the room, make eye contact with somebody that knows... Some of y'all looking at me, I don't know your business. There's a few of y'all so secretive, you gotta talk to yourself. Whoever you're talking to, just ask them that one question: how did you get out? You may be seated in the presence of the Lord.
The book of Genesis is a book that gives us our policy and procedure. It is a book that houses many firsts. You will find... from chapter 1 to chapter 50, you will cover the space of about 2,369 years. It is a book that has within it four major—technically it's five, but we take the first two and we put them together—there are four major events in the book of Genesis. There is creation and recreation (we count them as one: creation, recreation), and then you have the fall of man, the fall of Adam. Adam, Adam, Adam, Adam—it means 'of the earth,' it actually means 'of the red earth,' it means 'of the red clay.' You have the fall of mankind. Then you have the flood.
Repetitive throughout the entire 66 books of the Judeo-Christian Bible, you'll see the names. I see the names Noah. You keep looking and you'll start seeing names that become very repetitive: you start seeing Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob throughout the 66 books. And then there's a guy named Jacob, he's got a son named Joseph. Joseph, according to the scripture, he's the beloved of his father. The Bible teaches us that it is this guy Joseph. Joseph, according to the scripture, gets sold down into Egypt. When you look at Joseph's life and you're reading the narrative, Joseph takes many downward...
Read Joseph. The Bible says that his brothers set him up. His brothers saw him coming and they said, 'Here comes this dreamer.' His brothers plotted. Thank God for a Reuben. Reuben said, 'Don't kill him. Let's just put him in the pit.' But they took his garment and they dipped it in blood. They ripped it up and said that a wild beast got him. What fascinates me is that his father Jacob—Jacob was his daddy. Jacob wrestled with the angel of the Lord. He stood in certain places. The Bible says Jacob would make a statement and said, 'I stood at the gateway to heaven.' He said, 'I didn't even know where I was.' Jacob gets visions, angels, ladders...
But if you get me back, he says, 'I know it's called Luz now, but I'm gonna change the name. The name shall be called Bethel.' He says, 'But God, if you get me back, he says, I won't just call it Beth—Beth means house, El means God.' He says, 'This place is no longer just Bethel, it is no longer just the house of God. But based on my experience, I not only respect the house of God, but I've come to know the God of the house of God.' So he renames it El-Bethel. It is this guy that when they tell him that his son is dead, the scripture says he almost goes down to his grave.
He makes covenant with God, and when his own children lie to him, he can't see through the lie. And God doesn't say different. God doesn't whisper. The lie... Sun goes down. And when you're reading the narrative of Joseph, you stop reading and all of a sudden, while you're reading about Joseph, chapter 38—chapter 38 makes no sense in the narrative of Joseph because while you're reading about Joseph and visions and dreams, he leaves his brother...
The scripture says, and his name is again...
The name of tomorrow. But Tamar and I were married, but when Er died, and now that Er is dead, the law says that if your brother dies and he leaves no seed, that which passes on his inheritance, you are to marry his widow. The next brother in line was to marry the widow, and he was to go in unto her, and she was supposed to conceive, but the baby would never be listed in genealogy as his son. The baby...
Your brother's dead, but you got to marry...
Because if you don't put that name in the program, if you don't call their name over the pulpit, if you don't stand and give them accolades, they say, 'Next time y'all gonna do it by yourself. I'm gonna see how far you get.' Oh, the pleasure hot. But Onan didn't walk the responsibility and the accountability...
I see this trend, and I noticed that whoever you marry, God kills. He said, 'Now I only got one more boy. Why don't you just go back home, go back to your father's house, and just let my baby boy live?' Is it? I tell you what: when Shelah gets old enough, you and I will let you marry him, and then you can have a baby. She had promises. She comes home...
She goes home. The scripture says, and after she goes home, Shua—Shua is the Canaanite that Judah married. Judah now has lost his firstborn, he lost his second born, and now he loses his wife, Shua. The scripture says, and when she died, the Bible says that... there Shua the Shua now is her... trying to comfort himself.
He says he goes up into the mountains...
Calling it a frame of reference, we're gonna call it... they say, 'You know, you know...'
Your husband says, and tomorrow's amazing...
That in the Bible, even the whole... put on some clothes. The Bible says she put on the clothes of a harlot. The Bible says she even put a veil on her face. This was not a chiffon, they were like the bride. No, no, she put on...
Grieving. Oh boy, hello in spirit. Oh boy, God is down. Oh, he's so low he can't hear nobody pray. Caesar why she's standing out there with him. And the Bible says he walks up to her, and Judah looks at her, not knowing that it is Tamar, his daughter-in-law. He walks up to and says, 'I'm grieving. Can you comfort me? I'm kind of low. Can you lift me? Can you help me?' He said, 'Can I come in to you?' Judah starts feeling it. 'I'm bringing the cash with me tomorrow.'
He spoke of his authority, his bracelet. It didn't define him, and gave him his identity. His family's names were all carved on it. It was his legacy and his lineage. He took off his authority. He was willing to risk his authority for a better son. He took off his bracelet. He was willing to risk his identity. But love... there are some... he was even able later...
She said, 'You got the gift of discernment.' She said, 'Let's see if the gift is working in the person. Can you discern whose bracelet this is?' She said, 'Oh yeah, by the way,' she reached onto the... and grabbed the staff, and she said, 'Who is this, Judah?' She said, 'If you can discern who these belong to, then you...'
The Bible says she goes into labor. Twins are so close, and they tell her...
Put your face in somebody else's face. Say, 'You're looking at somebody.' People set up. You're looking at somebody.
To look at my demise, but you're looking at somebody sad. It was over.
Got me out. I'm impaired.
About my present. I'm dancing 'cause he delivered me in my closet.
If he had let my enemy mess me up in '95, I never would have got to 2017. But he delivered me from some stuff back then 'cause he knew he would be using me right now.
Saints, I made some dumb choices. I put my legacy at risk. I made some dumb choices. I put my identity at risk. But he got me out. He got me out. You look at some of us running, screaming, and dancing, and it looks like we're uncouth, looks like we're not intelligent. But let me tell you, we have degrees. We are entrepreneurs. We are skilled labor. We work in factories. But we're all...
Going through. I thought it was just for the moment, but I had no idea he was looking out for my future. I'm not warning you. I don't have to apologize to you anyway. Jesus. Jesus.
I don't care what you face this week. Do me a favor. I asked him to do it earlier. On the count of three, shout out your first name. One, two, three!
Now shout out your first name. You can call me...
My name is Pharez. I don't even have to be on the ballot, and I'll still get all the votes. My name is Pharez. Look over me if you want to. God knows where I am. Play the stupid games and send it to the wrong address. The wrong address will be my mama's address, and I still get it.
About a boy named Pharez. God, you'll interrupt what appears to be a good storyline to what seems like to be a tangent, only to reconnect it in the book of Matthew. And Father, we want to thank you because we've learned from the Old Testament that the things that were written of old, they were written for our learning, that through patience and comfort of the scripture we would have hope. Lord, forgive us for misjudging you. Forgive us for asking you, 'Did you see that?' God, forgive us for...
And even when it seems like others have used trickery, others have used popularity, others have tried to set themselves up, you'll let it be said, 'And it came to pass.' And so tonight we thank you, Lord. We repent for not believing that our hope is in you. Lord, thank you for giving us this word in March that's gonna bless us all the way to December.
Everybody that heard the scripture speak to you tonight, look toward heaven and tell heaven, 'I heard you. I heard you. I heard you.' And tonight, if you're not saved, it's time to get your life right with God. Say yes to the will of God for your life. Even when you were not saved, God was looking out for you. While we were without strength, Christ died for the ungodly. While you're his...
Will of God for your life. I want you to praise God like that's your daughter. Praise Him like that's your niece. Praise Him like that's your sister. Somebody's still walking. Give God praise. Every time somebody walked down that aisle, come on. Pharez, get about that seat and get to this altar. God bless you for coming. Come on, come on. For some people, it's a struggle to walk down that long aisle. I need y'all to encourage them every time they...
That you have to testify, 'Had it not been for the Lord who was on my side.' Come on. Don't walk out of here and say, 'I almost went up there.' Don't leave here and say, 'I should have got up.' Today is the day. Get up. Come on. You can be saved. That's just not a cheat on that's a lie.
Tonight, I want to thank you for being an outstanding congregation and your patience. And thank you for allowing me...
Three people and say, 'He got me out. He got me out. He got me out. He got me out. He got me out. He got me out.' Do me one more favor. Lean over and tell somebody, 'There's some stuff he got me out of I can't even tell you what it is. But you might not be my friend no more. But when you see me dancing...'
I want you to plead the blood of Jesus. Yearly, lift one hand in this direction. Send it to the altar. The other hand claps your neighbor's hand. Let's plead the blood. Come on, come on. Plead the blood. Increase his faith.
Hallelujah! I bind every demonic attack. Every demon of sickness, every demon of ailment, write down in the name of Jesus. Somebody open your mouth. I feel led tonight and say, 'Satan, the blood is against you.'
Leave this place until we meet again. The blessing of the harvest for his impartation. May your word rest in our spirit, resonate in our soul, and may we talk and walk in the victory that we sing about tonight. And in the name of Jesus, it is so. Amen. And amen. Somebody thank God for it. For you walk out of this...
Gonna preach like this man preach tonight. Don't miss it. God bless you. See you at Bible study.