Example of using sortedArrayUsingComparator. idsInOrder has the order that the objects should be in. Actual objects may or may not be in the ordered list.

sortedArrayUsingComparator.m

 NSArray* idsInOrder = @[@"foo", @"bar", @"baz", @"badgers"];
    
    NSArray* loadedStuff = @[@{@"id":@"baz"}, @{@"id":@"badgers"}, @{@"id":@"wow"}, @{@"id":@"foo"}];
    
    NSLog(@"UNORDERED: %@", loadedStuff);
    
    NSArray* sorted = [loadedStuff sortedArrayUsingComparator:^NSComparisonResult(NSDictionary* obj1, NSDictionary* obj2) {
        
        // sort by position of id string in order array..
        NSUInteger obj1Pos = [idsInOrder indexOfObject:obj1[@"id"] ];
        NSUInteger obj2Pos = [idsInOrder indexOfObject:obj2[@"id"] ];
        
        return [[NSNumber numberWithInteger:obj1Pos] compare:[NSNumber numberWithInteger:obj2Pos]];
    }];
    
    NSLog(@"ORDERED: %@", sorted);